Creatures of Habit: One Shot Collections
by Crazy Girl Person
Summary: Originally known as Writing Practice Gooey thingy. Ficlets to explore the characters and their lives as well as some revelations they may encounter along the way. Raven's chapter is up!
1. Robin: Birds

A/N: Hello everyone. Originally this was titled "Writing Practice of the Titan Kind (with goo)". I've since changed the name, as it is silly. Raven's chapters is up next! Hope you enjoy!

Now some of you are probably saying "Well this is all good and dandy but where's the next part of The Beast Within Us? Where's the goo? The gooooo?"

The next part of chapter nine is up and the final part is underway! Check it out if you haven't and enjoy the ficlets!

Robin: Birds

The wind brushed against his form and slowly wiped away the remaining beads of sweat from his face in the process. His moist skin felt chilled in the early morning breeze and a shudder ran through his body. Whether it was from the cold or the unease churning within him, he was not certain. Most likely it was both. He forced a deep breath out his mouth and took small notice that it was just as cold as the wind around him. He pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and tried to suppress the trembles within him.

_Get a grip, Robin. It was just a dream._

A small streamer of sunlight slowly peeked over the horizon. The sea water sparkled a cleansed shine in its wake as it snaked along the ocean and slowly began to ascend the Tower's wall. Robin could feel a gently warmth spill over his feet and crawl up his form until it carrassed his face. The coldness within him seemed to evaporate with the contact and for a moment the tremors ceased. He sighed, his breath much warmer now, and ventured a small smile as the world slowly awoke. Birds began to gently whisper their sweet songs in welcoming the morning. The sounds of their chirps and flaps of their tiny wings replaced the cold harsh sounds of a howling wind and waves crashing upon the rocks far below.

Several tiny clawed feet sooned scraped the concrete of the Tower's roof. Robin allowed his smile to grow a bit as a familiar flock began swarming around him, chirping and hopping about around his feet. "Mornin' guys." The tiny creatures sang out in response and some flapped their wings as if to wave at their human friend. Reaching for his belt, Robin felt several of them perch into his shoulders in anticipation. "Relax. You'll all get your share." he whispered as he withdrew a tiny bag and opened it. He enjoyed the feeling of the cool and crisp seeds pooling in his palm almost as much as the birds did. He allowed for some to sift through his fingers and rain to those waiting patiently by his feet. Those on his shoulders knew to wait their turn just as patiently as the remainder of the flock began chirping erratically. Finally, Robin tossed the seeds over his shoulder and the chirps were soothed as they began to indulge their breakfast. Refilling his palm with another generous mountain of grain, he extended his arm out to allow for a comfortable roost. He released a small chuckle as two of the birds from his shoulder quickly ran across his arm to rest at his wrist where as the other had flown to perch on his thumb.

Robin loved birds. There was something about the species that made him feel at peace. He felt as if he could truly open up around them. It had always been that way, for as long as he could remember. When there was no one else to comfort him, he knew he could always turn to the birds and that they would always be there for him as well. Though he would mask it with annoyance, he never took offense to the jab of 'Bird Boy'. As he gently stroked one of the tiny creatures as it fed he knew the name could not be farther from the truth. Robin was a bird boy.

And for that, he was very thankful.


	2. Raven: Alone

A/N: This is sort of a companion or AU to Spellbound. Raven's character kind of terrified me at first. Can't think why. BTW, the newest installment of The Beast Within Us is up so check it out if you haven't already - dangit!

Raven: Alone

Raven's eyes traced over each word almost passionately, absorbing each one as the epic tale played in her head. Though her face remained stoic with an easy set frown, she found herself endulging in the emotions of the lone heroic vagabond. She had been following his journey for nearly two hours and, while Raven was hardly the type to weep over a fictional character's tribulations, she held a degree of empathy. For the first time in those two hours, her facial expression changed ever so slightly as she wetted her lips. The place of the final battle had been infiltrated several pages ago. The dramatic climax was nearing. The hero was alone.

Loneliness.

She was certain that sense of loneliness would seep into her palms and spread up her arms like cold, flowing water if her book could embrace such an emotion. The feeling would cause a flutter in her stomach and almost snap her out of her dream world. Through her many adventures with the character she had come to picture herself as part of his story. She could see herself walking with him, side by side, down the long dusty trails he had endured. No words passed through their lips to accompany the constant rustling of her wind whipped cloak and the metal clanks of his weapons on his armor. They shared no glances as they encountered various foes or monsters and demolished every obstacle in their way. And yet - with each mention that he was alone, Raven would feel herself being pulled from the pages and see him continuing down that dusty road without her.

It was rather disorienting at first. In those brief moments she would feel a thin veil appear before her. It was as if she could no longer picture herself with him or in his place. Such moments were temporary, and the veil would evaporate as quickly as it had appeared. This had not occurred when she first embarked on his journey. The first few chapters had been just as much a telling of her tale as it had been his. Though ever since chapter twenty she could this strange rift crash between them only to quickly repair itself. It was confusing. She had felt like him before. She _was_ him before. But now -

"Lance."

Raven and Lance looked up at the sinister hiss that broke through the silence. A dark and gaunt figure melted from the shadows, leaving his black cape to spill about his ankles. His spiked armor was just as black and contrasted horribly to his sickly white complexion. Raven could not even see the villian's pale lips until he opened his mouth to speak once more. "You are alone again, are you? Just as you always were." With that, the girl once again felt herself being drawn skyward to watch the exchange from over head. "I always will be." Lance responded. "I need no others. I will face you alone, defeat you alone, and continue on as I always have."

"You are a fool." Raven's words fluttered out on nothing more than a gentle breath. Lance had helped and befriended several people on his journey. All had wished to accompany him, befriend him, and promised to never see him by himself again. Each and everyone of them he had refused, leaving them with nothing more than a curt farewell before turning his back on them. Most other stories may have his friends burst in at the last moment to support him or perhaps he would deny his solitude, claiming that their strength was still with him and always would be. However, like the many books in her collection, this was not like most stories.

Raven watched the battle from her overhead perch, noticing that she had not instantly returned to Lance's side as she had before. Her eyes never wavered in spite of it, not one movement from the fight had escaped her, even as she began to ponder what had just happened. The moment her fingers had lifted the leather bound cover she was certain of her one great connection to the protagonist that awaited her inside. Loneliness. The word once again caused her stomach to warm and she sighed. What she had first thought of as her strongest connection to him now seemed to be what was setting them apart. Why should that be? She was so much like him.

A gentle knock brought her eyes from the pages and to the metal door across from her. "Raven, we're all going to watch a movie. You in?"

She looked silently at her door before turning back to the book in her lap. Rather than indulging in the story it held, she merely stared at the words splashed over the two open pages. "Maybe, I'm the one who's been a fool." She slowly traced her fingers over the page as the knocking resumed and there was a whispered inquire as to whether she was in there. Her fingers came to rest over Lance's name. She stared for several seconds at the character she thought was so much like her and, as the rustling of her friends from outside her room caressed her ears, she felt herself smile. "Well, Lance, you've made your choice and you're free to finish your journey just as you like." She slowly closed her book. "Alone."

Placing the heavy book on her mattress, she pulled her hood up and floated towards her door. The hiss of her door sounded, revealing four teenagers who until that moment had concern written over their faces. The concern was replaced by relieved and hopeful smiles as she regarded each one of them. She would probably never find herself connecting with any one of them the way she had with Lance, that much she was certain of, but for the moment she had realized just how little that mattered.

"This movie had better not suck."


End file.
